Tots’ Praise
Wednesday 1st February from 2:15pm
Tot’s Praise is for the youngest – under 5s together with their parents/carers – gather between 2 and 2:15, all done in time for school pick up.
United Benefice of Altham and Clayton-le-Moors
Forth Sunday of Epiphany
This service is live in church, but it will be streamed so if you are unable to attend you can view it online. Now most of the words will also appear when you view the service on line so it will be easier to follow the service.
However, below are the day’s readings as there will not appear on screen.
First Reading: Malachi 3: 1- 5
I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can standwhen he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver;he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.
Second Reading: Luke 2: 22 – 40
When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[a]), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[b]
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss[c] your servant in peace.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.[d] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
Almighty God as we celebrate the feast of Candlemas today we give thanks for your son Jesus who is the Light of the World and for your call to us to share in that light. We pray that our Church may be a light to those who live in the darkness of unbelief, and reveal to them his love.
Intercessions
Light of Christ, Shine upon us.
Thank you for sending Jesus as a rescuer.
For bringing light and truth and love to the world in the way he lived and in the things he taught. We ask that you would help our world today in the same way that you helped Simeon and Anna’s.
Light of Christ, Shine upon us.
Thank you for all the people who bring light to our lives, for those who help and care for us. Help us to be lights to others, to be friendly, to care and to take the time to listen.
Light of Christ, Shine upon us.
We pray in the quietness of our minds for all who we know have need of You. Especially we pray for…….
Bless them, give them comfort and assurance, and give us courage to do what we can to help.
Light of Christ, Shine upon us.
Be with those who grieve and open their minds that they may find hope and the will to carry on despite the heaviness of heart they are now experiencing.
We know your everlasting light shines with us, in moments of great sadness and great joy.
Light of Christ, Shine upon us.
Creator God, we thank you for the gift of the life of Alice Grace baptised this morning. May your blessing of peace and joy be with Alice, her parents and godparents and and protect them all of their days.
Light of Christ, Shine upon us.
Gracious God, we thank you for this time together in prayer, as we look forward to the week to come, help us to be lights to those around us by the way in which we live and how we treat others, and show us the practical steps we need to take to develop consistency and integrity in all that we do in our lives.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Archdeacon of Backburn, the Venerable Mark Ireland,
will preside and preach at the 9:30 am (Altham)and 11:00am services
on Sunday 5th February the
At the end of the 11:30am service he will bess the newly refurbished kitchen.
Do come and share with him in worship and listen to his message.
Providing a warm space
We are going to open the church on Fridays from 11:30am – 1:30pm over this Winter period
A warm welcome, a warm space, food and fellowship for all who would appreciate it.
Do come along to help provide a warm welcome and why not invite someone along!
Thank you.
The Pastoral Team –
will be holding a stall at the Christmas Fair on Saturday 26th November in Clayton Community Centre and would love some items for their ‘ hook a bag’ stall. e.g. – unwanted gifts would be idea.
Thanks
‘We shall remember them’
Friday 11th November: Short act of remembrance at the war memorial in Mercer park, starting at 10:55am and including two minutes silence.
Sunday 13th November –
- 8:00am Holy Communion.
- 9:30am muster at Arthur Wilson Centre if joining the parade to church.
- 10:am Remembrance Service followed by act of remembrance in Mercer Park.
- 10:00am Remembrance Service at Altham St James followed by act of remembrance at the memorial.
Important notice
Supplementary forms for Secondary School Admissions to St Christopher’s School on faith grounds should be brought to All Saints’ Church on Saturday 12th November between 9:30-10:15am
Supplementary forms for All Saints or Altham St James Primary Schools should be returned to the relevant school; the school will then contact Revd. Toby directly. If you are applying to both primary schools on faith grounds you need to complete a separate form for each.
Thank you.
United Benefice of Altham and Clayton-le-Moors
Sixthteenth Sunday after Trinity
This service is live in church, but it will be streamed so if you are unable to attend you can view it online. Now most of the words will also appear when you view the service on line so it will be easier to follow the service.
However, below are the day’s readings plus the intercessions for reference, as there will not appear on screen.
First reading: James 3:13 – 4a
3 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]?6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[c]
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts,you double-minded.
Second reading: Mark 9:30 -37
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Thinking about the Christian Faith.
Adults wanting to explore their faith, or find out more about Christianity, are invited to a short course at the vicarage on Wednesday evenings, starting 29th September. It would be ideal for anyone considering adult confirmation.
Please contact Revd Toby to register your interest.
Thank you
Church Safeguarding training reminder
This is a reminder to those
- who have been newly appointed to the PCC or who still need to do their training,
- newly appointed to Sunday School volunteers,
- those on the Pastoral or Baptism teams who need to complete a refresher safeguarding training as it is over three years ago since they have done one. Anyone else who wants to, is also welcome to do it..
The safeguarding training can be completed on-line via the safeguarding portal link here
- Just sign in with your own email and password.
- On the next page you need to scan down and agree their terms
- Then on the next page select the ‘training’ block.
Which training course is for you?
Those new to the PCC and Sunday School helpers just need to complete the Basic Awareness Course (C0)
If you are a coordinator or leader who has not done any church safeguarding training please complete both the Basic Awareness course ( C0 ) and the Foundation course (C1).
Those postholders who are just doing a refresher please complete the Foundation course (C1).
When you have completed the course, you will be given an e-certificate. Pease can you send me a copy for my records. Thank you.
Elaine
Safeguarding officer